Trolley-protector for firemen



(No Model.)

n J. P. BARRETT. TROLLEY PROTECTOR POR FIREMENI N0. 555,634. Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFICE- JOI-IN P. BARRETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRO LLEY-PROTECTOR FOR FIREM EN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,634, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed December 13,1895. Serial No. 571,987. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,.JOHN P. BARRETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trolley-Protectors for Firemen, (Case No. 3,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a trolley-protector for iremen, its object being to provide means whereby a section of the trolley of an electricrailway system may be cut out of circuit or rendered inactive.

Vhen a fire occurs in the vicinity of an electric railway having an overhead-trolleyi conductor there is great danger of the firemen coming in contact with the live-trolley conductor, thus endangering life, and it has been necessary to wait until a telephone-message could be sent to the central station to have the plant shut down or the trolley-conductor cut out of circuit. Where this has not been done it has been necessary for the iiremen to cut the trolley-conductor, thus endangering life, due to the falling trolley, and necessitating an expense in the repair of the trolley-conductor.

It is the object of the present invention to provide means whereby a section of the trolley-conductor in the vicinity of the lire may be rendered inactive without telephoning to the central station and without cutting the conductor, and in accordance with the present invention supports or protectors are provided adapted to be inserted .between the trolley and one or both of the rails of the track, a contact device being carried upon the upper end of the support adapted to make electrical contact with the trolley-conductor, the contact device being electrically connected with a shoe or shoes adapted to engage and make electrical contact with one or both of the rails of the track. A short-circuit is thus provided between the trolley-conductor and the return-circuit through the rails which blows the fuse at the central station or operates the automatic cut-out to thus prevent the passage of current over the line, or the support may act to shunt such proportion of the current as to render the section of the conductor in the vicinity of the fire safe to handle. yThe path through the support may thus, instead of short-circuiting the generator and blowing the fuse, afford a path for the current of such resistance relatively to the resistance of the human body that the current passing through the body of a person coming in contact with the trolley-conductor would not be of sufficient strength to endanger life.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view illustrating two of the trolley-protectors of my invention in position. Fig. 2 is a view of a trolley-protector adapted to connect together the trolley and one of the rails of the track. Fig. 3 is aview thereof at right angles to the view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of a trolley-protector having two shoes, one adapted to engage each of the rails of the track. Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the contact device and one of the shoes in detail.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

The electric car a travels upon the rails b' b2 of the track and carries a trolley a adapted to make running contact with the trolley-conductor c. Generator d at the central station has one pole connected with the trolley-conductor c, while the other pole is connected with the rails b b2.

Then a iire occurs in the vicinity of the track, one or more trolley protectors or supports e are placed in position between the trolley-conductor c and the rails of the track. As illustrated in Figs. l, 4 and 5, the protector or support comprises two beams h h', which may be of wood, the lower ends of the beams carrying metal shoes h2 h3 adapted to engage the rails b b2, respectively, and to make electrical contact therewith. The shoes h2 and h3 are electrically connected by means of conductors h4 h5 with a metallic contact device h6 carried upon the upper ends of the beams h h'. Vhen the protector is placed in position the trolley-conductor cis electrically connected with the rails 19'292 through the agency of the contact device and the shoes which are in electrical connection therewith. Props or supporting-arms hi hs are provided, the ends of which are adapted to be brought into engagement with the roadway to maintain the protector in an upright position. In Figs. 2

IOC

and 3 a protector is illustrated having,` the contact device h6 at the upper end adapted to engage the trolley-conductor c and a single shoe h2 at the lower end adapted to engage one of the rails, as b'. A prop or pivoted arm 7&7 is provided for maintaining the protector in an upright position.

The contact device at the upper end of the protector and the shoes adapted to engage the rail may be connected together by means of a simple conductor, whereby when the protector is placed in position the generator is short-circuited and the fuse d is blown, or a resistance f may be interposed between the contact device and the shoe, wherebyapathway is afforded between the trolley-conductor and the rail of such low resistance relatively to the high resistance of the human body that should a reman come in contact with the trolley-conductor insuhieient current would be diverted through his body to endanger life. Two of the protectors are preferably employed placed upon opposite sides of the location of the fire.

Having` described luy invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a trolley-protector for firemen, the

combination with an overhead-trolley conductor, and a rail or rails serving as apart of the electrical circuit, of a protector or support adapted to be placed between the track and the trolley-conductor and carrying a eoutact device at the upper end adapted to make electrical contact with the trolley-conductor, and carrying a shoe or shoes at the lower end electrically connected with the contact device and adapted to electrically engage one or both of the rails of the track; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a trolley-protector for firemen, the combination with a support adapted to be placed between the trolley-conductor and the track, of a contact device provided at the upper end of the protector for engaging the trolley-conductor, and a shoe or shoes elec trically connected with said contact device, carried at the lower end of the support and adapted to engage one or both of the rails; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof Ihereunto subscribe m y name this 11th day of December, A. D. 1805.

JOHN P. BARRETT.

lVitnesses:

W. CLYDE JONES, .ToHN lV. SINCLAIP. 

